Resolution to Address the Negative Impact to the SSU Curriculum of Statewide Resource Reductions

Resolved that the Sonoma State University (SSU) Academic Senate express grave concern about the negative impact of many years of statewide budget reductions on the quality of the university curriculum and the integrity of the university mission; and be it further

Resolved that the Senate urge that steps be taken to address this problem at a campus-wide level, rather than seeing the issue as one that is an isolated problem of individual departments and programs; and be it further

Resolved that the SSU Academic Senate therefore is encouraged by President Armiñana’s announcement of some initial steps towards addressing these negative impacts by increasing tenure-track faculty hiring and permanently addressing the structural deficit in Academic Affairs funding; and be it further

Resolved that the SSU Academic Senate urge the President to continue pursuing the means necessary to expand the number of tenure-track faculty beyond the 2008-2009 levels; and be it further

Resolved that the Senate join with the University administration in a partnership effort to recognize the critical need to address this situation as a top priority for the university’s shared governance, and to support the allocation of the time and resources needed to respond immediately to these challenges; and be it further

Resolved that the Senate charge the appropriate faculty governance bodies to synthesize available documentation to support administrative efforts to address these issues across the campus as a whole, and to forward recommendations that would maximize the effectiveness of these campus-wide responses to these curricular impacts.

Resolved that this resolution be sent to the CSU Chancellor and the CSU Statewide Senate.